Survey Offers Insights into 2008 Hunting Trends
HunterSurvey.com/TargetShootingSurvey.com
conducts a monthly poll of sportsmen and women to monitor their outdoor activities, purchases and opinions. These surveys have become important tools in helping industry and media managers understand the trends affecting participation and sales in hunting and shooting.
Here are some highlights from the 2008 surveys:
Is Reloading Becoming a Lost Art? (April 2008):
Most American shooters do not reload their own shotshells or rifle and pistol cartridges. In an April 2008 survey by HunterSurvey.com, 83 percent of shotgunners and 74 percent of centerfire rifle shooters reported that they do not reload any ammunition at all. Most shooters who do reload their own ammunition report reloading only small quantities, one to five boxes per month.
Hunters Feel That Media Portrayal is Often Inaccurate (April 2008):
A majority of U.S. hunters feel that portrayal of hunters in movies and on television shows is biased and inaccurate. In a poll of hunters by HunterSurvey.com, 51 percent of respondents felt that hunters are “rarely” portrayed accurately in the media. Another 43 percent stated that hunter media portrayals are “sometimes” accurate. Five percent felt that hunter portrayals are “never” accurate, and only 0.63 percent felt that hunters are “always” portrayed accurately in the media.
Restricted Land Access Reduces Hunting Opportunities (May 2008):
Restricted access to hunting lands, especially on private property, has reduced opportunities to hunt. One-third of hunters surveyed (34 percent) reported that restricted access to hunting lands reduced their hunting time over the past three seasons. Private hunting lands were more likely than public lands to have had restrictions placed on them, said 80 percent of the surveyed hunters.
Rifles Number One Choice for Deer Hunters (May 2008):
Centerfire rifles were the single most popular choice for deer hunters during the most recent season. Poll results showed that 28 percent of hunters used rifles to harvest their deer, compared to 21 percent of respondents who used bows. Muzzleloaders were the choice of 18 percent of hunters, with shotguns (15 percent) and handguns (5 percent) rounding out the top five.
Magazines Remain the Dominant Media Among Both Anglers and Hunters; Anglers’ Internet Use Rises (July 2008):
Hunting and fishing magazines remain the primary sources of information and entertainment for both anglers and hunters. About 39 percent of anglers and 47 percent of hunters indicated that magazines are their primary sources of information. About 34 percent of anglers stated that websites are their primary source of fishing information, compared with about 24 percent in 2007—an increase of 10 percent. The results for hunters remained static, with about 26 percent reporting in 2007, and again in 2008, that the Internet is their preferred media source.
Hunters Still Enjoy Reading Outdoor Magazines (September 2008):
A majority of American hunters subscribe to at least two outdoor magazines. In an August 2008 survey from HunterSurvey.com that asked hunters how many magazine subscriptions they have, two-thirds (about 67 percent) reported subscribing to two or more outdoor magazines. Only 14 percent reported that they have no outdoor magazine subscriptions at all. About 16 percent of hunters have five or more magazine subscriptions.
Hunters and Shooters Fear Incoming Administration Will Make Firearms Purchases More Difficult (December 2008):
When asked to define their expectations regarding the new administration and a Democrat-controlled Congress, 80 percent of hunters and shooters said they expect it will become more difficult for them to purchase firearms. Less than 1 percent of respondents said they expect purchasing firearms will become less difficult, while 16 percent said they expect their firearms purchasing ability will remain the same.
Source: HunterSurvey.com is a monthly national online survey of sportsmen and women providing industry and policymakers with information on hunting and shooting sports trends, activity and sales. Hunters are encouraged to actively participate in these monthly polls. In addition to monitoring sportsmen and women’s attitudes, HunterSurvey.com also tracks top brands, the percentage of sales for specific products occurring at specific types of retailers, average price points, and more. For more information, contact Rob Southwick at Rob@SouthwickAssociates.com.
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